NL Central

NL West

Now Commenting On:

Orioles call familiar name in Draft

Orioles call familiar name in Draft

Email

Print

By Brian Eller
/
MLB.com |

BALTIMORE -- It was 25 years ago that Orioles Hall of Famer Al Bumbry last suited up in black and orange.

Soon it could be his son Steven's turn to begin his career with the Orioles. Steven Bumbry was the Orioles' 12th-round selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, one of the more intriguing picks for Baltimore on Day 2 of the selection process.

"I was really happy," Al said after his son was selected Wednesday. "I was happy, but also I felt really good for [Steven] because he wants to play baseball. He always has, and I know he was very happy to be drafted."

Steven played his college ball at Virginia Tech, where he hit a team-leading 10 home runs and drove in 40 runs during his 2009 campaign. The right fielder batted .283 in 51 games with the Hokies this season, tallying three triples and eight doubles.

Should Steven progress all the way to the big stage, Orioles fans will get to see the Bumbry name on an Orioles' uniform once again. But Al was quick to caution that despite the same name on the back of the jersey, the similarities aren't really there.

"Not a lot," Al said. "He doesn't run like me, but he has good speed. He's not as fast as me, but he has good instincts on the basepaths. [Heck] of a lot better arm than me, too. Athletically, he's well put together, and he's much stronger than me, and much more power."

Al played for the Orioles from 1972-1984. He was drafted by Baltimore in the 11th round of the 1972 Draft, and finished his Major League career with the San Diego Padres in 1985.

Over his 14-year tenure, Al hit 54 home runs and knocked in 402 runs. He accumulated 1,422 hits over that time and put together a career batting average of .281.

His son, Steven, however, plays an entirely different style compared to his father. While Al was known as a speedy guy on the basepaths, he remarked his son boasts a lot of power, suitable for a spot in the outfield.

"Well, it was either that or pitching," Al said. "He can play first base also, but he migrated to the outfield. Of course there are things I can teach him about the outfield. He has more power potential than myself, more of a lion's eye than myself. I would always try to smack line drives and run like [heck] around the bases."

Al said over his son's time at Virginia Tech, the right fielder has matured both at the plate and in the outfield. Al said Steven has been working on his swing, a problem Al said would persist because Steven would "get too excited by the long ball."

There's no doubt the elder Bumbry has been a strong influence on the new draftee's baseball career, and will continue to be in the future. When asked what advice he'd give his son, Al simply said to keep his composure.

"The thing I've always told him was, 'There are days where you're going to do well and days when you're not,'" Al said. "The best thing to do is maintain a positive approach. Baseball has a way of humbling you, but he's been good with that. He doesn't like to lose and doesn't like to do poorly. But when you're doing well, simply take it for what it is."

Bumbry was one of 27 players drafted by the Orioles on Wednesday. The list included three high school hitters, four high school pitchers, six junior college pitchers, two junior college hitters, six college hitters and six college pitchers.

Here's a look at the Orioles' other Day 2 selections:

Round 4, Randy Henry, RHP, South Mountain CC: As a freshman at South Mountain Community College, Henry played a key role in the Cougars' bullpen. Henry appeared in nine games this season, picking up three saves and striking out 11. He finished with a 0.82 ERA.

Round 5, Ashur Tolliver, LHP, Oklahoma City U: Tolliver went 10-1 for Oklahoma City University in 2009. The left-hander registered 89 strikeouts in 13 appearances with an ERA of 3.74.

Round 6, Justin Dalles, C, University of South Carolina-Columbia: The Orioles' sixth-round selection marks the fourth time Dalles has been drafted. Dalles earned second team All-SEC honors this season, hitting .324 with 39 runs scored. The catcher hit 15 home runs and knocked in 47 runs.

Round 7, Aaron Wirsch, LHP, El Toro HS (CA): Wirsch posted a 1.54 ERA for the Chargers during the 2008-09 season. The left-hander held opponents to just a .198 batting average, while giving up 17 earned runs.

Round 8, Devin Harris, LF, East Carolina University: Harris batted .344 for the Pirates during the 2009 season, starting in 59 games and hitting 14 home runs with 48 RBIs.

Round 9, Ryan Berry, RHP, Rice University: The right-hander brings a 91-mph fastball to his arsenal of pitches. Berry also features an often nasty curveball with a late break, but has yet to use an effective changeup.

Round 10, Jacob Cowan, RHP, San Jacinto Col North: Cowan finished with a perfect 6-0 record for San Jacinto College in 2009. He tossed 63 2/3 innings, allowing just 12 earned runs and striking out 80 batters.

Round 11, Michael Ohlman, C, Lakewood Ranch HS: The catcher batted a scorching .597 for Lakewood Ranch high school his senior season. Despite hitting only three home runs, Ohlman accumulated four triples and five doubles while knocking in 21 runs.

Round 12, Steven Bumbry, RF, Virginia Tech University: The son of former Orioles great Al Bumbry, the right fielder started 48 games for the Hokies in 2009. Bumbry hit 10 home runs and knocked in 40 RBIs while hitting .283.

Round 13, Tyler Kelly, 2B, UC Davis: Kelly started all 55 games for the Aggies in 2009. He hit four home runs while batting .307, and led the team in doubles (20) and RBIs (40).

Round 14, David Baker, RHP, Hemet HS: Pitching for Hemet high school, Baker finished 2009 with a 3.12 ERA, while holding batter to a .254 average at the plate. Baker allowed 27 earned runs over 60 2/3 innings pitched.

Round 15, Garrett Bush, RHP, Stanton College Prep School: In 2008, Bush was a Diamond Club Showcase participant in Lakeland, Fla. He went 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA and a save in six appearances during his junior season.

Round 16, Ryan Palsha, RHP, Diablo Valley College: In 16 appearances during 2009, Palsha went 5-2 with a complete game and a 4.06 ERA. Palsha finished second on the team with 66 strikeouts and issued just 22 walks in 64 innings pitched.

Round 17, Jeffrey Walters, RHP, University of Georgia: Walters went 2-0 for the Bulldogs in 2009, posting a 4.64 ERA over 40 innings pitched. The right-hander allowed 22 earned runs and struck out 46 while holding hitters to a .242 average.

Round 18, Jarret Martin, LHP, Bakersfield College: As a hitter last season, Martin lead his team with a .331 average, blasting 11 home runs and driving in 35. He also registered nine doubles and scored 32 runs last year.

Round 19, Kipp Schutz, LF, Indiana University: A member of the 2009 First Team All-Big Ten, Schutz finished third in the conference with a .392 average. He hit 10 doubles, five home runs and drove in 34 runs during his sophomore campaign.

Round 20, James Brandhorst, RHP, Lamar University: The right-hander went 3-0 with a 3.59 ERA for Lamar in 2009. He accumulated 44 strikeouts and also earned three saves in the bullpen.

Round 21, Kevin Landry, RHP, William and Mary: As a senior for the Tribe, Landry pitched 76 innings with a 4-6 record and struck out 91 batters on the year. Landry allowed 40 earned runs and issued 30 walks.

Round 23, Michael Mooney, SS, University of Florida: Mooney appeared in 50 games for the Gators in 2009, helping them to a 42-22 record. The shortstop knocked in 24 runs while hitting .306 and finishing with a .382 slugging percentage.

Round 24, Justin Anderson, LHP, University of Louisiana-Monroe: Before pitching at ULM, Anderson attended Central Arizona College, where he posted a 7-1 record with a 4.17 ERA. He struck out 38 batters in 54 innings and allowed 18 walks over that span.

Round 28, Kyle Hoppy, CF, Orchard Park HS: During his junior year, Hoppy batted an impressive .461, blasting a home run and knocking in 20 runs in 22 games.

Round 29, Brandon Alexander, CF, Oakville Senior HS: Alexander was a key factor for the Tigers during the 2008-09 season, helping the team achieve a 24-4 record.

Round 30, Brenden Webb, CF, Palomar College: As a freshman at Palomar, Webb got off to an impressive start, being named an All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection. He batted .342 with six doubles, two triples and eight home runs.

Brian Eller is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.